SPORTS> Ding Junhui in Spotlight
Snooker ace set to sizzle in Beijing
By Zhao Rui (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-23 18:24

China's snooker ace Ding Junhui will be looking to continue his sizzling play at the Main Tour to the China Open in March, but a number of arch-foes will be there to block his charge in Beijing.

World top 16 players, including world No 1 Stephen Hendry, Ken Doherty, Ronnie O'Sullivan as well as defending champion Mark Williams are set to join the annual tournament, held from March 26 to April 1, the event's organizing company Intersports said on Friday.

"I am here to guarantee Chinese fans that the best 16 will be competing at the China Open this year," the company's chairman Kang Wei told China Daily. "Ding's latest success will be able to bring the sport to a new height so I am confident the upcoming China Open will again become the hottest topic for fans."

The sport's popularity in China is on an upward curve, driven by Ding, who has been rocking the world of snooker with his ice-cool but attacking play.

The live coverage of Ding's home matches topped the 2006 sports program viewing standings of China Central Television (CCTV).

Still a couple of months shy of his 20th birthday, Ding beat Hendry en route to the final of the British Masters last Sunday, a week after he replaced opponent O'Sullivan as the youngest player to register a televised maximum 147 break.

Ding became the first Asian player to reach the final of the Masters and despite losing 10-3 his exploits captivated his growing fan base.

Public interest was so high that CCTV was forced to reschedule its programming at the last minute to provide coverage of the final three rounds.

In the inaugural China Open in 2005, Ding landed a historic victory at the 2005 China Open by trumping Hendry 9-5 in the final. The victory made Ding the first ever Chinese player to win a Main Tour title and the second youngest title holder in snooker history, just nine days older than Ronnie O'Sullivan when he won the 1993 UK Championship.

According to Kang, Ding will be joined by eight Chinese wildcards in the tournament this time at the Beijing University Students Stadium.

After cooperating for two years, China's Multiple Administrative Centre of the State General Sports Administration signed an eight-year contract with Worldsnooker, the world governing body of the sport.

"We want to build the China Open as the most successful tournament in Beijing," Kang said. "With Ding's wonderful show, our target is already within reach."